About

Jason Ritt is the Scientific Director of Quantitative Neuroscience at the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and an Associate Professor of Brain Science (Research) at Brown University. His research advances along two main fronts: understanding neural processing during active sensing and developing new neural engineering techniques for neurostimulation and control. His approach combines basic scientific investigation in animals engaged in sensory tasks with engineering methods, including closed-loop intervention, electrophysiological, behavioral, optogenetic, and theoretical techniques. His work primarily focuses on the rodent whisker system, a highly refined tactile sensory system, and aims to integrate real-time neural feedback to study brain-machine interfaces, sensory neural prosthetics, and active sensing loops. Through addressing fundamental questions in sensory systems neuroscience, his lab seeks to develop new approaches to neurocontrol problems with biomedical relevance, such as restoring damaged systems through stimulating neuroprosthetics.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Neuroscience
• Chemistry
• Ecology
• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Computer network

Selected publications

• 473. EEG-Based rTMS Treatment Response Prediction in Major Depression With Dynamical Systems Foundation Models

  Biological Psychiatry · 2026-04-25

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Ca2+ channel and active zone protein abundance intersects with input-specific synapse organization to shape functional synaptic diversity

  eLife · 2024-07-18 · 2 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Synaptic heterogeneity is a hallmark of nervous systems that enables complex and adaptable communication in neural circuits. To understand circuit function, it is thus critical to determine the factors that contribute to the functional diversity of synapses. We investigated the contributions of voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) abundance, spatial organization, and subunit composition to synapse diversity among and between synapses formed by two closely related Drosophila glutamatergic motor neurons with distinct neurotransmitter release probabilities (Pr). Surprisingly, VGCC levels are highly predictive of heterogeneous Pr among individual synapses of either low- or high-Pr inputs, but not between inputs. We find that the same number of VGCCs are more densely organized at high-Pr synapses, consistent with tighter VGCC-synaptic vesicle coupling. We generated endogenously tagged lines to investigate VGCC subunits in vivo and found that the α2δ-3 subunit Straightjacket along with the CAST/ELKS active zone (AZ) protein Bruchpilot, both key regulators of VGCCs, are less abundant at high-Pr inputs, yet positively correlate with Pr among synapses formed by either input. Consistently, both Straightjacket and Bruchpilot levels are dynamically increased across AZs of both inputs when neurotransmitter release is potentiated to maintain stable communication following glutamate receptor inhibition. Together, these findings suggest a model in which VGCC and AZ protein abundance intersects with input-specific spatial and molecular organization to shape the functional diversity of synapses.

  PublisherDOI

• Odors in space

  Frontiers in Neural Circuits · 2024-06-24 · 10 citations

  reviewOpen access

  As an evolutionarily ancient sense, olfaction is key to learning where to find food, shelter, mates, and important landmarks in an animal's environment. Brain circuitry linking odor and navigation appears to be a well conserved multi-region system among mammals; the anterior olfactory nucleus, piriform cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus each represent different aspects of olfactory and spatial information. We review recent advances in our understanding of the neural circuits underlying odor-place associations, highlighting key choices of behavioral task design and neural circuit manipulations for investigating learning and memory.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Perspective on Neuroscience Data Standardization with Neurodata Without Borders

  Journal of Neuroscience · 2024-09-18 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Neuroscience research has evolved to generate increasingly large and complex experimental data sets, and advanced data science tools are taking on central roles in neuroscience research. Neurodata Without Borders (NWB), a standard language for neurophysiology data, has recently emerged as a powerful solution for data management, analysis, and sharing. We here discuss our labs' efforts to implement NWB data science pipelines. We describe general principles and specific use cases that illustrate successes, challenges, and non-trivial decisions in software engineering. We hope that our experience can provide guidance for the neuroscience community and help bridge the gap between experimental neuroscience and data science. Key takeaways from this article are that (1) standardization with NWB requires non-trivial design choices; (2) the general practice of standardization in the lab promotes data awareness and literacy, and improves transparency, rigor, and reproducibility in our science; (3) we offer several feature suggestions to ease the extensibility, publishing/sharing, and usability for NWB standard and users of NWB data.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author response: Ca2+ channel and active zone protein abundance intersects with input-specific synapse organization to shape functional synaptic diversity

  2024-09-18

  peer-reviewOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Author response: Ca2+ channel and active zone protein abundance intersects with input-specific synapse organization to shape functional synaptic diversity

  2024-07-18

  peer-reviewOpen access

  Synaptic heterogeneity is a hallmark of nervous systems that enables complex and adaptable communication in neural circuits. To understand circuit function, it is thus critical to determine the factors that contribute to the functional diversity of synapses. We investigated the contributions of voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) abundance, spatial organization, and subunit composition to synapse diversity among and between synapses formed by two closely related Drosophila glutamatergic motor neurons with distinct neurotransmitter release probabilities (Pr). Surprisingly, VGCC levels are highly predictive of heterogeneous Pr among individual synapses of either low- or high-Pr inputs, but not between inputs. We find that the same number of VGCCs are more densely organized at high-Pr synapses, consistent with tighter VGCC-synaptic vesicle coupling. We generated endogenously tagged lines to investigate VGCC subunits in vivo and found that the α2δ-3 subunit Straightjacket along with the CAST/ELKS active zone (AZ) protein Bruchpilot, both key regulators of VGCCs, are less abundant at high-Pr inputs, yet positively correlate with Pr among synapses formed by either input. Consistently, both Straightjacket and Bruchpilot levels are dynamically increased across AZs of both inputs when neurotransmitter release is potentiated to maintain stable communication following glutamate receptor inhibition. Together, these findings suggest a model in which VGCC and AZ protein abundance intersects with input-specific spatial and molecular organization to shape the functional diversity of synapses.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Ca2+ channel and active zone protein abundance intersects with input-specific synapse organization to shape functional synaptic diversity

  eLife · 2024-07-24 · 11 citations

  articleOpen access

  Synaptic heterogeneity is a hallmark of nervous systems that enables complex and adaptable communication in neural circuits. To understand circuit function, it is thus critical to determine the factors that contribute to the functional diversity of synapses. We investigated the contributions of voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) abundance, spatial organization, and subunit composition to synapse diversity among and between synapses formed by two closely related Drosophila glutamatergic motor neurons with distinct neurotransmitter release probabilities (P r ). Surprisingly, VGCC levels are highly predictive of heterogeneous P r among individual synapses of either low- or high-P r inputs, but not between inputs. We find that the same number of VGCCs are more densely organized at high-P r synapses, consistent with tighter VGCC-synaptic vesicle coupling. We generated endogenously tagged lines to investigate VGCC subunits in vivo and found that the α2δ–3 subunit Straightjacket along with the CAST/ELKS active zone (AZ) protein Bruchpilot, both key regulators of VGCCs, are less abundant at high-P r inputs, yet positively correlate with P r among synapses formed by either input. Consistently, both Straightjacket and Bruchpilot levels are dynamically increased across AZs of both inputs when neurotransmitter release is potentiated to maintain stable communication following glutamate receptor inhibition. Together, these findings suggest a model in which VGCC and AZ protein abundance intersects with input-specific spatial and molecular organization to shape the functional diversity of synapses.

  PublisherDOI

• Molecular and organizational diversity intersect to generate functional synaptic heterogeneity within and between excitatory neuronal subtypes

  2023-07-17 · 5 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Synaptic heterogeneity is a hallmark of complex nervous systems that enables reliable and responsive communication in neural circuits. In this study, we investigated the contributions of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) to synaptic heterogeneity at two closely related Drosophila glutamatergic motor neurons, one low-and one high-Pr. We find that VGCC levels are highly predictive of heterogeneous release probability among individual active zones (AZs) of low-or high-Pr inputs, but not between neuronal subtypes. Underlying organizational differences in the AZ cytomatrix, VGCC composition, and a more compact arrangement of VGCCs alter the relationship between VGCC levels and Pr at AZs of low-vs. high-Pr inputs, explaining this apparent paradox. We further find that the CAST/ELKS AZ scaffolding protein Bruchpilot differentially regulates VGCC levels at low-and high-Pr AZs following acute glutamate receptor inhibition, indicating that synapse-specific organization also impacts adaptive plasticity. These findings reveal intersecting levels of molecular and spatial diversity with context-specific effects on heterogeneity in synaptic strength and plasticity.

  PublisherDOI

• Ca ²⁺ channel and active zone protein abundance intersects with input-specific synapse organization to shape functional synaptic diversity

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2023 · 5 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Chemistry
  • Neuroscience

  among synapses formed by either input. Consistently, both Straightjacket and Bruchpilot levels are dynamically increased across AZs of both inputs when neurotransmitter release is potentiated to maintain stable communication following glutamate receptor inhibition. Together, these findings suggest a model in which VGCC and AZ protein abundance intersects with input-specific spatial and molecular organization to shape the functional diversity of synapses.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A perspective on neuroscience data standardization with Neurodata Without Borders

  PubMed · 2023-10-06 · 4 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Neuroscience research has evolved to generate increasingly large and complex experimental data sets, and advanced data science tools are taking on central roles in neuroscience research. Neurodata Without Borders (NWB), a standard language for neurophysiology data, has recently emerged as a powerful solution for data management, analysis, and sharing. We here discuss our labs' efforts to implement NWB data science pipelines. We describe general principles and specific use cases that illustrate successes, challenges, and non-trivial decisions in software engineering. We hope that our experience can provide guidance for the neuroscience community and help bridge the gap between experimental neuroscience and data science.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant F32NS045415

  NIH · $136k · 2007

• NIH Grant R21EB020851

  NIH · $450k · 2018

Frequent coauthors

• Kate M. O’Connor-Giles

  Providence College

  45 shared

• Alexander Fleischmann

  Providence College

  24 shared

• A. Delgado

  John Brown University

  24 shared

• Scott J Gratz

  Brown University

  24 shared

• Audrey T. Medeiros

  John Brown University

  24 shared

• A.F. Pierre

  15 shared

• Christopher I. Moore

  Providence College

  15 shared

• Olivia McKissick

  Allen Institute for Brain Science

  9 shared

Labs

• Quantitative Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain SciencePI

Education

• Ph.D.

  Boston University

  2003

• M.A.

  Boston University

  2003

• B.S.

  Boston University

  1997